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| We had a lively discussion last week for our Teaching Matters on “Cultivating Curiosity in the Classroom” as one of the foundations of our teaching practice. Four big themes that emerged were: getting to know your students, providing opportunities for student choice, encouraging risk-taking, and following through consistently. Strategies for engaging students included surveying them early in the semester to gauge their specific interests and allowing students to choose a “hot” or “cool” topic, concept, or person for one week of instruction or to present on. We discussed how repeated messaging about wanting them to explore and choose what they want to learn helps students trust that it is OK to let their curiosity guide the way. This includes modeling our own curiosity when we don’t know all the answers to their questions or they make a connection we hadn’t previously considered. We also talked about setting a general tone of curiosity and inquiry by providing low-stakes opportunities (sometimes anonymously on Canvas) for students to ask questions, taking a few minutes at the start of class to ask students what they’re finding interesting in their other classes, or inviting them to brainstorm about the ways that a concept or model you’re teaching them might not work. We agreed that being curious is fundamental not only for our students but also for our own growth throughout our professional lives. |